My thoughts on the Phillies season.

Phillies scored seven runs in the ninth for the win after being kept quiet in the first eight.

After being able to score only two runs in the previous twenty-eight innings, the Phillies exploded for seven runs in the ninth inning off of Marlins’ reliever Matt Lindstrom, for a dramatic, 7-2, come from behind victory over the shocked Marlins.

The Marlins took a quick 3-0 lead in the first, as, with runners on the corners, and two men out, Dan Uggla hits a three-run home run, his second home run of the season, scoring John Baker, who had earlier singled and had gone to third on Ross Gload’s single, and Gload, who had earlier singled. That would remain the score for the next seven innings, as Phils’ starter Brett Myers would constantly pitch himself in and out of trouble until he was relieved in the seventh by Clay Condrey, who would then proceed to pitch two scoreless innings, while Marlins’ starter Josh Johnson would three hit the Phils for the first seven innings and Leo Nunez would keep them off the board in the eighth. But, everything suddenly changed in the top of the ninth. With Matt Lindstrom now pitching for the Marlins, the Phils’ bats finally came alive, with a little help from Lindstrom’s own wildness. After Ryan Howard started the inning off by making the inning’s first out, a 4-3 ground out, Jayson Werth got on base with a double to center. Raul Ibanez followed with a walk, putting runners on first and second, with one out. The next batter, pinch hitter Matt Stairs, then knocked in Werth with an RBI pinch hit single, making it a 3-1 Marlins’ lead, while sending Ibanez to third base. After Miguel Cairo went to first to pinch run for Stairs, Lou Marson got on base with a walk, loading the bases, as Cairo moved up to second. After pinch hitter Eric Bruntlett struck out for the inning’s second out, Jimmy Rollins got on base with a walk, forcing home Ibanez, cutting the Marlins lead down to 3-2, and sending Cairo to third and Marson to second, as the bases remained loaded. The next batter, Shane Victorino, then connected for a grand slam home run to right, his second home run of the season and his first career grand slam during the regular season, scoring Cairo, Marson and Rollins, as he gave the Phils a 6-3 lead. Chase Utley followed by hitting a solo home run, also to right field, to give the Phillies a 7-3 lead, as the Phils had batted around. Howard then followed with a double, just missing hitting it out of the park for back-to-back-to-back home runs. After Werth walked, Renyal Pinto, who had earlier been brought in to relieve Lindstrom, was finally able to end the inning as he got Ibanez to strike out swinging. In the bottom of the ninth, the Marlins tried to come back. With two outs, Hanley Ramirez hit a double, sending Alfredo Amezaga, who had started the inning off as a pinch hitter, and getting a walk, over to third. But Ryan Madson then ended the inning by getting Gload to strike out, swinging.

Brett Myers got a no-decision, as he pitched sixth strong innings, giving up only three runs on eight hits and six walks, while striking out five. Clay Condrey picked up the win as he pitched two scoreless innings, giving up just one walk. His record is now 3-0, leading the team in wins, with a low 1.86 ERA. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up just one hit and a walk, as he struck out the side. Josh Johnson also pitched a no-decision, throwing seven strong innings, giving up just three hits and two walks, as he struck out eight. Leo Nunez, pitched a scoreless inning, as he struck out three. Matt Lindstrom took the lose as he blew his second save of the year, as he gave up seven runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out only one batter, in two-thirds innings of work. His record is now 1-1 with a 10.80 ERA. Renyel Pinto pitched a third of an inning, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out a batter.

The Phillies had eight hits in the game. Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, Matt Stairs, Lou Marson and Brett Myers each had a hit, with Victorino and Utley (Home Runs), and Werth and Howard’s (Doubles) hits being extra-base hits. Victorino had four RBIs with his grand slam home run, Utley knocked in one with his solo shot, Stairs brought in a run with his pinch hit single, and Jimmy Rollins brought in the other run with his bases-loaded walk. Although he gave up a home run, Myers was able to keep the Phils in the game, getting himself out of constant jams. Clay Condrey pitched two good frames, giving up only a walk, thus allowing him to be the winning pitcher when the Phils had their ninth inning explosion. With this win, all of the Phils’ victories so far this year has been of the coming from behind variety. The Phillies need to start dominating games early.

The Phillies (7-8, 3rd) continue their three-games series with the Marlins (11-5, 1st) at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Flordia. The game will start tonight at 7:10 pm Eastern. The Phillies will send to the mound Chan Ho Park (0-0, 8.68), who is still looking for his first win, as he comes off his second straight no-decision as a starter, this time against the Padres on April 19, as he pitched five innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out three, in the Phillies’ dramatic 5-4 win in the ninth inning. He will be looking for his first win as a Phils’ pitcher. The Marlins will counter with Chris Volstad (2-0, 2.76), who is also coming of a no-decision against the Nationals, also on April 19, as he went only four and one-third innings, giving up three runs on six hits and five walks, as he struck out five, in the Marlins’ 7-4 win. He will be looking for his third win of the season, while trying to end the Marlins’ present four-games slide. The Phillies will be looking for their second straight win and their second road series win.

I myself prefer a few less come from behinds by the Phils, right now, since that has been all of their victories thus far. While fun, it can become maddenly after a while, especially with all of the home runs that the starters have allowed so far this year.

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